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Mexico takes on El Salvador in Gold Cup opener
The 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup starts at the Cowboys Stadium in Texas Monday morning featuring the Group A match between favorites Mexico and El Salvador.
Just like in the previous editions of the biennial meet, the Mexicans should have no trouble getting past the group stage.
But Mexico head coach Jose Manuel de La Torre played down their chances.
"I won't go so far as to say that we are favorites," he said.
"We are aspiring to be champions, but there are teams in this tournament that could surprise us."
Mexico has won the Gold Cup five times since it was established in 1991. The Mexicans thrashed the United States 5-0 in the 2009 final at the Giants Stadium.
Manchester United rookie Javier "El Chicharito" Hernandez, Tottenham's Giovani dos Santos and captain Rafa Marquez are the players to watch for Mexico. Other key players in the squad are veteran defender Gerardo Torrado, Christian Bermudez and Jose de Jesus Corona.
El Salvador, meanwhile, is gunning for a major upset. Leading the squad are US-born players Arturo Alvarez and Steve Purdy. Alvarez, however, is doubtful for the opener after sustaining a pulled hamstring in practice.
Major League Soccer veterans Ramon Sanchez and Eliseo Quintanilla are also expected to play well for the Central Americans, who never got past the quarterfinal of the biennial tournament. El Salvador's coach is Uruguayan Ruben Israel, who assumed the post in April.
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